


there's moonlight on the river

by tardisofcamelot



Category: The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Character Death, Grief/Mourning, M/M, The Death Cure Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-01-29
Packaged: 2019-03-11 00:40:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13513134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tardisofcamelot/pseuds/tardisofcamelot
Summary: Thomas had always known they would eventually run out of time, he just hadn't thought it would happen so soon.or,Thomas suffers when he realizes that Newt could have been saved.





	there's moonlight on the river

**Author's Note:**

> spoilers, again, for the death cure. this time in a more blatant way.

_You are the cure, Thomas. It's your blood_.

The words ring in his ears for an imperceivable amount of time, unacknowledged. His arms are burning with the weight of carrying the man in his arms _up_ , off of the ground, as if keeping him away from the pavement means delaying the inevitable.

\----

It comes to him only after Newt stops breathing, once he has bled through the silver knife stuck into his flesh. It comes to him only after he catches sight of Brenda running towards them, vial in hand.

It comes to him only after her footsteps halt, and the sudden silence is _deafening_.

\----

_You are the cure._

The tears brimming in his eyes finally, _finally_ , fall. They descend from eyes screwed shut-- in _anger, pain, hopelessness, desperation_ \-- down to the muddied and wrinkled uniform that cloaks Newt's form.

\----

 _I could've saved him_.

Thomas says as much as whispers. He does so with the realization of it all but crushing him down; each passing second is a weight in his soul.

Across him is Paige. She is there, and then she is not. As Janson approaches, he can only think of the little life in him left, draining fast like hope had.

\----

He _hits_ with the rage of a man who has lost, and he _falls_ with the resignation of a man who has nothing left to lose.

\----

Thomas musters all his strength, and he springs onto his feet. Somehow, Thomas makes it. He makes it out alive.

_Because if Newt couldn't, then I will._

\----

He wakes up slowly, blinking away the crust that has built up around his eyes. _This must be Paradise_ , Thomas thinks. And then he falls back into slumber.

\----

They treat all his injuries, but they all leave scars, of course. Thomas likes to look at one scar in particular: the one on his chest.

A scar where his flesh had met a knife's edge, enough to make him wince but nothing more.

This scar, he notes, lines up fairly well with the scar that Newt could be _(should be)_ sporting, had he lived. If he hadn't run out of _time._

This scar, he touches with utmost care; he likes to think of it as a scar that keeps them connected, even if the two of them are in different sorts of Paradise.

\----

When Thomas reads the letter contained in that locket that Newt had told him to _take, please,_ he places his hand over the scar in his chest. Both of the scars, outside _and_ in.

He does as Newt tells him to. He stays strong for him, carries on building the new safe world for the others.

 _For him_ , Thomas keeps in mind.

 _For you_.

**Author's Note:**

> wow, another one. i'm on a roll, folks. wish me luck.
> 
> this abyss called newtmas is so dangerous.
> 
> title is from mac demarco - moonlight on the river
> 
> please leave a kudos and/or a comment if you liked it! i really appreciate any feedback. thank you!


End file.
